Well, What better time to post a couple of fall crafts that a week before I decorate for Christmas! LOL Better late than never! ; )

I used to make crafts all the time when the kids were little, but it's been a while since I've let my creative juices flow and actually took the time to make something with my hands. This particular evening last month, Danielle and Abby and I had an evening to ourselves, so we set to work making a couple of fun fall decorations.

The first was a burlap banner. I combined a couple of ideas I saw on Pintrest to do this. I had printed on burlap before when we did a banner for our mission trip last year. So I created a template for the banner on my computer, picked a font I liked, and printed the flags. (Tutorial for printing on burlap here.) It's actually really easy, usually just a couple tweaks to make sure it doesn't jam in your printer.

Then I used a brown pompom strand I got for a buck, hot glued it to the burlap, and then added a few of my silk cocoon flowers from Sabahar in Ethiopia. That put it over the top for me. : ) I love it.

The second craft was a wreath I saw on my friend Lizzy's blog. The link to the tutorial is here.

Danielle worked on the roses while I was working on the banner.

Hot glue hurts. We decided to give Abby foam sheets to play with. : )

We actually finished it the next day. What can I say, we're out of "crafty" shape, we tire easily. Decided to watch a movie together and finish later. I really love the way it came out!

It was a fun time with my
girls and felt good to get "back in the saddle" of crafting again! I'm
inspired with Christmas right around the corner now! : ) Maybe you can
adapt one of these for a Christmas-themed craft, since most of us will
be taking down our fall decorations next weekend. Or, just pin it for
next year! ; )

Whether you are pleased or disappointment with last night's outcome, there is one thing I think we can all agree on. It is a privilege to live in a country where we vote to elect leaders. And, every four years, despite some heated campaigning and sometimes nasty bickering in the weeks prior, we watch as a peaceful transition of leadership occurs--or in this case, peaceful continuation of leadership. It is also amazing to me, politics aside, that in light of the marred history of this country, we have an African American as our president, now for two terms. While this doesn't make him more qualified, it does speak to the leaps and bounds this country has made and speaks to great opportunities for my daughter in the future.

But as wonderful as democracy is, it is also a scary thing. Decisions of choosing rulers left in the hands of imperfect people. The responsibility of the leadership of millions of people left in the hands of imperfect people. Because no matter who you voted for, it would have been impossible in this election [or any other for that matter] to elect a perfect president. He doesn't exist. You will inevitably take the bad with the good because that is the best they can offer, as human beings. And if we place all of our hope for our futures and for the future of this country in the hands of a man, we have trusted big things to small hands incapable of containing them.

And so as thankful as I am to be a citizen of this democratic country, I know my residence here is temporary. And my hope and peace is not in where I live right now, or what living here affords me. Greater and wider and weightier is the monarchy in which I reside, and in which I will permanently reside--a kingdom that has no end.

And it is written “He removes kings and sets up kings.” (Daniel 2:21) God is sovereign over our elections, and while I'll never fully understand the balance of His control and our vote, I believe He is much bigger than the electoral college. He appoints our leaders.

And for those who think I just said Jesus is a democrat, let me say this: God does not always appoint worthy leaders, or wise leaders. His end goal is not our earthly comfort or security, and often His will includes oppression and hardship. So--side note--enjoy our freedom and peaceful political processes while we have them in this country, because there are no guarantees for tomorrow. Blessings come in the form of both prosperity and suffering, and we should be prepared for both and looking for His purposes in both.

Mostly, today, I am reminded that there is a day coming when there will be no election. And this is a wonderful thing. Because we do not know how to govern ourselves well. We are too marred by our own selfishness and pride and greed. But there is a perfect King, who is perfectly fair and perfectly kind and perfectly just and perfectly wise. He will take His rightful place, and decision time will be over.

"So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil 2:10)

You may or may not be reeling after last night's outcome, you may or may not feel ready to deal with the ramifications for the next four years.

But are you ready for that day? Because we do not know when, but that day is coming.

Often we cry out when there is injustice and suffering in this world--where is God? Why has He not intervened? But I wonder if we know what we are asking for. Do we really want all things made right? Because if all is made right, and sin is punished, and we are all accountable, and justice is served--how will you fare?

CS Lewis writes:

"God will invade. But I wonder whether people who ask God to interfere openly and directly in our world quite realize what it will be like when He does. When that happens, it is the end of the world. When the author walks on to the stage the play is over. God is going to invade alright: but what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else-- something it never entered your head to conceive-- comes crashing in; something so beautiful to some of us and so terrible to others that none of us will have any choice left? For this time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. There is not use saying you chose to lie down when it has become impossible to stand up. That will not be the time for choosing; it will be a time when we will discover which side we have really chosen, whether we realized it before or not.

Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last forever. We must take it or leave it. "

You made your choice yesterday for the next four years. How about for eternity?